Ladder



R. LABORDA Feb. 13, 1934.

LADDER Filed Dec. '7, 1932 ATTORNEY.-

Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to ladders, and more particularly to ladders of that type which are generally used in stores or mercantile establishments for the purpose of removing goods or merchandise from wall shelves.

The invention has for its primary object and purpose to provide a simply constructed collapsible ladder of this type having means whereby, when the weight is removed from the ladder step, the ladder is automatically folded or collapsed so that when not in use, it will occupy a minimum of space.

It is another object of the invention to provide easily adjustable means so that when desired, the movable or ioldable section of the ladder may be retained in its extended position.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the improved ladder, and in the form, construction and relative arrangement of its several parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and subsequently incorporated in the subioined claims.

InA the drawing wherein I have disclosed one simple and practical embodiment of the invention, and in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,.-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the ladder when in position for use;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l and showing the movable section of the ladder in dotted lines in its foldable or inoperative position.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a modied form of the ladder in collapsible folded condition; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 showing the foldable ladder section in dotted lines in its extended position.

Referring in detail to the drawing, and for the present more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, my improved ladder includes spaced vertical uprights 5 preferably of gradually increasing width from their upper to their lower ends and provided at their upper ends with the obliquely inclined edges 6. In spaced relation to these edges 6 of the uprights and at the rear vertical edges thereof, said uprights are connected by the horizontal bar 7 which is provided at its forward edge and in the upper surface thereof with the longitudinally extended recess indicated at 8. Upon the upper surfaceof this connecting bar and adjacent each end thereof, latch buttons 9 are mounted in any suitable manner for a purpose to be later explained.

The uprights 5 are further rigidly connected with each other at their lower ends by the horizontally extending stop bar 10 which limits the movement of the foldable section of the ladder to its folded or collapsed position relative to said uprights.

The movable ladder section includes spaced side rails 1l connected at their upper ends by the top step 12 and at equi-distantly spaced points below said top step by additional steps 11. Pref- 35 erably, though not necessarily, I provide the rollers 13 which are rotatably mounted in any suitable manner in the lower ends of the side rails 11. Between the top step 12 and-one of the steps 11 in the ladder section, links 14 are pivotallyfm connected at one of their-ends as indicated at' 15 to the rails 11 adjacent the rear edges thereof, said links extending rearwardly from said rails and being pivotally engaged at their other ends upon the bolts or studs 16 which are fixed in the 75 uprights 5. Adjacent to these pivot bolts and' below the same, stop lug 17 projects from the inner side of each upright for engagement by the lower edge of one of the links 14, whereby movement of the ladder section to its extended po-.go

sition relative to said uprights is positively limited.

A contractile spring 18 is attached at its lower end to the link 14 and at its upper end to one of the side rails 5, said springs normally acting to swing the links upwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and thereby effect an upward movement of the movable ladder section and a pivoting movement thereof relative to said links whereby said ladder sectionswings inwardly between the uprights 5 and the upper surface of its top step 12 is positioned substantially in the plane of the obliquely inclined upper end edges 6 of said uprights, while the front longitudinal edges of the rails 11 are 95 disposed substantially in the plane of the front longitudinal edges of the uprights. Such movement of the movable ladder section to collapsed position is limited by contact of said rails at their rear edges against the stop bar 10.

It will be noted that the top step 12 of the ladder projects beyond the rear edges of the rails 11, as indicated at 12', and this projecting rear edge portion of said step is adapted to seat in the recess 8 of the bar 7 when said foldable ladder section is moved outwardly relative to` the uprights 5 to its extended position, as shown in full lines of Fig. 2 of the drawing. The weight of the user on the steps 11 or 12 will, of course, prevent the return movement of said fold- "-cof able ladder section under the action of the springs 18. However, if it is desired to retain the movable ladder section in such extended position when the device is not being used, it is only necessary to turn the pivoted buttons 9 so that said buttons at one of their ends will project over the rear edge portion 12' of the top step 12, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Immediately upon disengagement of said buttons with said top step, the movable ladder section is of course returned to its normal folded or collapsed position relative to the uprights 5 by contraction of the springs 18.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, I have illustrated a slightly modified form of the device in which instead of using the links 14, I provide each of the rails 11 on their rear edges and at their upper ends with longitudinally extending guides as shown at 19 which cooperates with a tie rod 2 0 fixed at its opposite ends in the uprights 5, to guide the movable ladder section to its extended and folded positions. Engagement of the tie rod with the rear edge of the top step 12 vlimits the movement of the ladder section to extended position, While the stop rod 10 connecting the uprights 5 adjacent their lower ends 'limits movement of said ladder section to its folded position under the action of the springs 18.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of use and several advantages of my present invention will be clearly and fully understood. It will be apparent that such a ladder will be very convenient and serviceable for use in stores and mercantile establishments, and being of small size and light weight, can be Vreadily shifted from place to place where it is desired to remove goods or merchandise from the higher wall shelves. When the ladder is in its normal folded or collapsed condition, it will 'not project to any appreciable extent into the available floor space, so as to constitute a serious obstruction. Of course, it will be apparent that if desired, the uprights 5 can be suitably mounted for sliding movement on floor rails as is common in connection with this class of ladders.

In the above disclosure, I have referred to two simple and practical embodiments of the invention, either of which can be produced at relatively small manufacturing cost. Nevertheless, it will be evident that the essential features of my invention might also be embodied in various other alternative structural forms, and I accordingly reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes therein as may be fairly incorporated within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

K 1. A ladder of the kind described comprising spaced uprights and vertically spaced horizontal members rigidly connecting said uprights with each other, a movable ladder section, means directing said movable ladder section to an extended obliquely inclined position relative to said uprights or to a vertical folded position between the uprights, one of said connecting members between the uprights limiting movement of said ladder section to its extended position, and spring means automatically acting upon removal of vertical pressure from said ladder section to move said ladder section in its folded position between the uprights.

2. A ladder of the kind described comprising spaced uprights and vertically spaced horizontal members rigidly connecting said uprights with each other, a movable ladder section, means directing said movable ladder section to an extended obliquely inclined position relative to said uprights, one of said connecting members between the uprights limiting movement of said ladder section to its extended position, spring means acting to yieldingly hold said ladder section in its folded position between the uprights, and additional manually adjustable means to retain said ladder section in its extended position against the action of said spring means.

3. A ladder of the kind described comprising spaced uprights, vertically spaced horizontal members rigidly connecting said uprights, a movable ladder section, link members pivotally connecting said ladder section with the respective uprights and directing the movement of said ladder section to an extended obliquely inclined position relative to the uprights, a stop on each of said uprights engaging one of said link members to limit movement of the ladder section to its extended position, and spring means connected with said links and normally acting tok yieldingly hold said ladder section in a folded position relative to said uprights, movement of the ladder section to the latter position being limited by engagement thereof with the one of said connecting members.

4. A ladder of the kind described comprising spaced uprights, upper and lower horizontal connecting bars between said uprights, said upper bar having a longitudinally extending recess, a movable ladder section, means connecting said ladder section with the uprights and directing said ladder section to an extended obliquely inclined position relative to the uprights, said ladder section including a top step adapted to engage at its rear edge in said recess when said ladder section is extended, manually operable latch means mounted on the upper connecting bar to cooperate with said top step and retain the ladder section in its extended position, and spring means acting to. move the ladder section to a normal folded means to direct said ladder section to an ex. tended obliquely inclined position with respect to the uprights, stop means fixed to the uprights to limit movement of the ladder section to its extended position, and means rendered effective by the extension of said ladder section to automatically move said ladder section into collapsed or folded relation to the uprights upon the removal of vertical pressure from said ladder section.

6. A ladder of the kind described comprising spaced uprights and a horizontal bar rigidly connectingT said uprights adjacent their upper ends, said bar having a longitudinal recess in its upper surface, a movable ladder section having spaced side rails provided at their lower ends with floor engaging rollers, and a top step connecting said rails at their upper ends, means to direct said ladder section to an extended obliquely inclined position with respect to the uprights, said top step at one edge thereof seat` ing in the recess of said horizontal bar, and

relatively movable CAB Logan? to direct said ladder section to an extended obliquely inclined position with respect to the uprights, said top step at one edge thereof seating in the recess of said horizontal bar, additional manually operable means for releasably retaining said ladder section in its extended position relative to the uprights, and means rendered effective by the extension of said ladder section to automatically move said ladder section into collapsed or folded relation to the uprights upon the removal of vertical pressure from said ladder section.

RICHARD LABORDA. 

